10 Overlooked Home Remedies For Constipation That Actually Work

There are times when you would have felt as if you are 10 pounds heavier, all bloated up, and nothing inside you is working well. Bowel movements and ‘potty’ issues are topics that we all try to avoid talking about. None of you will walk through your office space and announce to the world that you have not pooped in five days. You must be more than willing to talk about your sore feet than your stubborn sphincter muscles! However, there are some natural tips to overcome this problem. After a deep research, we have listed ten best home remedies for constipation. Before we list them to you, know a few things.

What Is Constipation?

Constipation makes you feel uneasy and at the same time, adversely affects your health. This problem originates from indigestion where you find it very difficult to clear your bowel. Even when you excrete, you will find hardened feces. The process is painful, uncomfortable, and may lead you to spend hours in the bathroom without having any productive outcome. Constipation can be fatal if left unattended. It can build up harmful toxins that can be extremely dangerous.

If you are not ‘letting it out‘ properly, try some natural remedies to get it treated. Avoid popping those over-the-counter laxatives, as it can worsen the condition. It is a general problem, which happens due to lack or less water content in the digestive system. So, the first rule of thumb to beat constipation is hydration. Now you have a reason to mug up all that water.

Causes of Constipation

A myriad of factors causes constipation. Well, the obvious culprits include low fiber contentinfoods, dehydration, and lack of exercise. It is also caused by some less well-known reasons including medications and supplements. However, there are some possibilities that can explain to the cause and you might not have considered it before.

Hypothyroidism

Chocolate (oh no!)

Laxative overuse (talk about irony!)

Too many dairy products

Sudden change in your diet

Antidepressants

Depression

Colon cancer

Painkillers and steroids

Nervous and muscular problems

Too many antacid medicines (contains excess calcium or aluminum)

Blood pressure and allergy medications

Inflammatory bowel disease

Childbirth (due to sluggish abdominal muscles)

Diabetes and neurological diseases

Constipation is a common side effect to most popular medications. Laxatives over periods can be habit-forming; hence, taking them too often will disrupt your digestive system and make it dependent on the chemicals.

Certain health conditions are also responsible for constipation as well. Spastic colon can be considered one among the most common causes of bowel troubles including constipation. Not much is known about this factor – hence, patients with spastic colon must monitor their food intake since their bowels become too sensitive.

If you are over the age of 40, preventive measures must be taken for a regular bowel movement, since aging triggers constipation. Constipation has always been an uncomfortable issue to talk about, but more uncomfortable to deal with. So take a close look at your daily eating habits and lifestyle try to pinpoint as to what is causing constipation.

Symptoms of Constipation

Some of the symptoms are as shown below:

Compacted and hard stool

Difficult or painful passing of stools

Excess vomiting

No bowel movements in a gap of three days

Stool is accompanied with blood due to hemorrhoids and anal fissures

Release of wet, diarrhea-like stool in between regular bowel movement

Need to help remove stool from your rectum using your hand

Feel like there is a block in the rectal pathway

Abdominal cramps

Excessive farting (flatulence)

Bloating

Loss of appetite

Note:If you have experienced all these problems in more than 2 or 3 months, then constipation is considered chronic.

Negligence of constipation can give rise to many diseases such as:

Increase in cholesterol levels

Headaches

Bad breath

Body odor

Hemorrhoids

Varicose veins

Colon/rectal/colorectal cancer

Diverticulosis (It is a condition where the colon creates pouches for catching fecal material to hold it. The fecal matter then hardens leading to diverticulosis. The pouches are created in the intestinal wall.)

10+ Best Home Remedies For Constipation

The basic step to kick off constipation is to switch from bad foods to fiber-rich foods. It makes your stool bulkier and easier to pass. Apart from a healthy fiber-rich diet, try these natural remedies to relieve constipation sooner.

10. Devil’s Thorn Leaves + Milk

Devil’s Thorn (scientific name: Tribulus terrestris) is an amazing gift of nature. It is native to tropical and warm temperate regions of Southern Asia, Europe, Australia, and Africa. This plant comes loaded with multiple health benefits. In fact, the extracts of this herb are widely consumed by bodybuilders. In Ayurveda, it has been used for making medicines and healing several diseases. The basic purpose behind its consumption is that it helps in decreasing inflammation, reduces pain, lessens the strain, and heals acute swelling. Talking about constipation, in particular, it reduces abdominal pain largely.

Milk, on the other hand, is combined with this herb to lower its power. Apart from keeping your bones strong and supplementing you with calcium, milk can greatly help in relieving constipation. It also promotes a good night sleep.

However, use the unpasteurized milk (or 100% natural cow milk) and not the processed ones. A glass of warm milk with this herb helps in improving your intestines’ muscle contractions. Hence, to try a remedy using these two ingredients, follow the steps given below:

Step 1: Take 1 ounce of fresh Devil’s Thorn Leaves (cleaned) and prepare its juice by grinding them in a mixer.

Step 2: Take a glass of warm milk.

Step 3: Mix them together.

Step 4: Drink on alternate days.

Step 5: Repeat the process for a week or two for best results.

How Does This Work?

The reason Tribulus terrestris helps in relieving constipation is due to the presence of some active compounds like resins, alkaloids, sugars, tannins, essential oils, sterols, diastase, glucoside, and peroxidase.On the other hand, milk has all the essential nutrients to help treat constipation naturally. It has lactose, good fat, proteins, carbohydrates, vitamins, minerals, and other vital enzymes.

For Our Loyal Readers

Kindly note that the remedies provided in this website are for informational purposes only and not for medical advice. A humble request from our team is to consult with the specific health care provider before using these remedies or tips.